Homeward Bound to use city allocation to fight homelessness

Published: Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 12:56 a.m.

City leaders plan to give their seal of approval to an Asheville group's application seeking the city's $25,000 share in federal HOME funds to fight homelessness in Hendersonville.

Mayor Barbara Volk said she was approached by a representative of the group who asked if the city could support their efforts with a HOME endorsement.

"They want to start a program here to help the homeless find housing," she said. "As a member of the Regional Housing Consortium, the city of Hendersonville has a proportional share of the available funds to allocate to a nonprofit, or to a city housing activity."

Considered the largest federal block grant to state and local governments, HOME was designed to create affordable housing for low-income households. In the past, Volk said, that their share of funds have been given to Habitat for Humanity of Henderson County and the Housing Assistance Corporation.

"If we do not designate a project our funding goes into the general pool of funds available in Region B," she said, which includes Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Madison counties. "Sometimes this is used for activities in Henderson County, sometimes it is for one of the other three counties."

Council members asked if other local agencies know this pot of money exists.

"They know," Volk said, adding that it's just been a while since the city has been asked for it.

"My understanding is that the reason they don't generally come to us (for money) is they go to the county," said Councilman Jerry Smith.

Volk said Henderson County has its own allocation of HOME funds that it can earmark for housing assistance projects. County Manager Steve Wyatt anticipates county commissioners will take up the issue at their January meeting.

City Council members agreed at their Nov. 1 meeting to ask that their annual allotment through the Regional Housing Consortium be used to aid in the expansion of Homeward Bound's new rapid re-housing program. The Asheville-based group is tackling new goals to provide tenant-based rental assistance for the homeless in Henderson County.

Homeward Bound teamed up with Henderson County agencies, including United Way and Mainstay, in March, rolling up their sleeves to organize a coalition and become part of the Balance of State Continuum of Care, a body that oversees the application process for federal homeless service funding. Since then, the Henderson County Homeless Coalition has grown to include more than 20 organizations.

The coalition has been busy studying available services, pinpointing gaps in aid to specific populations, setting goals for next year and "applying for federal funding through the Emergency Solutions Grant for Rapid Re-Housing," according to Homeward Bound Executive Director Brian Alexander.

"Is there a particular bricks and mortar project that this $25,000 will go to?" asked Councilman Steve Caraker.

City Manager Bo Ferguson said that funding "will provide short- and medium-term tenant-based rental assistance to individuals or families experiencing homelessness. Homeward Bound will pair the tenant-based rental assistance with housing stabilization services funded from other sources that will help newly-housed clients remain in permanent housing long-term. They say that with this funding, they'd be able to assist 10 households move from homelessness to permanent housing."

"This is a group that really looks at the needs of the whole picture," Volk added.

The allocations are expected to come before the Regional Housing Consortium for discussion in February.

<p>City leaders plan to give their seal of approval to an Asheville group's application seeking the city's $25,000 share in federal HOME funds to fight homelessness in Hendersonville.</p><p>Mayor Barbara Volk said she was approached by a representative of the group who asked if the city could support their efforts with a HOME endorsement.</p><p>"They want to start a program here to help the homeless find housing," she said. "As a member of the Regional Housing Consortium, the city of Hendersonville has a proportional share of the available funds to allocate to a nonprofit, or to a city housing activity."</p><p>Considered the largest federal block grant to state and local governments, HOME was designed to create affordable housing for low-income households. In the past, Volk said, that their share of funds have been given to Habitat for Humanity of Henderson County and the Housing Assistance Corporation.</p><p>"If we do not designate a project our funding goes into the general pool of funds available in Region B," she said, which includes Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Madison counties. "Sometimes this is used for activities in Henderson County, sometimes it is for one of the other three counties."</p><p>Council members asked if other local agencies know this pot of money exists.</p><p>"They know," Volk said, adding that it's just been a while since the city has been asked for it.</p><p>"My understanding is that the reason they don't generally come to us (for money) is they go to the county," said Councilman Jerry Smith.</p><p>Volk said Henderson County has its own allocation of HOME funds that it can earmark for housing assistance projects. County Manager Steve Wyatt anticipates county commissioners will take up the issue at their January meeting.</p><p>City Council members agreed at their Nov. 1 meeting to ask that their annual allotment through the Regional Housing Consortium be used to aid in the expansion of Homeward Bound's new rapid re-housing program. The Asheville-based group is tackling new goals to provide tenant-based rental assistance for the homeless in Henderson County.</p><p>Homeward Bound teamed up with Henderson County agencies, including United Way and Mainstay, in March, rolling up their sleeves to organize a coalition and become part of the Balance of State Continuum of Care, a body that oversees the application process for federal homeless service funding. Since then, the Henderson County Homeless Coalition has grown to include more than 20 organizations.</p><p>The coalition has been busy studying available services, pinpointing gaps in aid to specific populations, setting goals for next year and "applying for federal funding through the Emergency Solutions Grant for Rapid Re-Housing," according to Homeward Bound Executive Director Brian Alexander.</p><p>"Is there a particular bricks and mortar project that this $25,000 will go to?" asked Councilman Steve Caraker.</p><p>City Manager Bo Ferguson said that funding "will provide short- and medium-term tenant-based rental assistance to individuals or families experiencing homelessness. Homeward Bound will pair the tenant-based rental assistance with housing stabilization services funded from other sources that will help newly-housed clients remain in permanent housing long-term. They say that with this funding, they'd be able to assist 10 households move from homelessness to permanent housing."</p><p>"This is a group that really looks at the needs of the whole picture," Volk added.</p><p>The allocations are expected to come before the Regional Housing Consortium for discussion in February.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>